Should We Tithe?
I do not know about you but there are times in my life where I wonder whether money is really important and the only source to my survival in this world, to move from one day to another, to pay for all my bills, to feed my family, and etc. There are times when I have to make some important decisions as to whether to forego all the potential of earning some big income over time loss with my family. Do I give all 10% of my income to tithing or use it for paying my expenses? I am sure God will understand if I don’t give my tithe this month. All these are questions that have rambled through my mind in the past until I found out what God has to say about money, tithing and the purpose they serve. Seek the truth and the truth shall set you free. May this article sow the truth and purpose of tithing beyond just giving back to God what He has given us in the first place.
Jesus sat Himself outside the Temple courtyard of God and watched the people moving in and out of the Temple. He watched each person walking in with their offerings as they went up to make their offerings to God. It was here where He noticed the poor widow who walked in to give her two pence. Here He taught the disciples the principle of giving to God.
We want to understand the purpose of our tithing and the results of obeying God. Giving is part of our worship to God. It is more than just a commandment, the principle of sowing and reaping, but goes beyond that. It is also about storing up our spiritual inheritance to be released at the right time by God for us and our generations to come.
We will look at three parts on wealth and tithing. Please do not miss the up coming articles.
19 Comments»
Greg
31. March 2008 | 01:56 h
Hello, there is no tithe required from the Body of Christ. Tithes that were given under the law were food items. We are not under the law. That covenant is expired.
Russell Earl Kelly
31. March 2008 | 02:30 h
1st Timothy 5:8 should ease your fears about priorities .
My 19 point essay,Tithing is not a Christian Doctrine, shoudl ease you other fears. May God bless you.
In Christs love
Russ Kelly
http://www.tithing-russkelly.com
Sermon Alive
31. March 2008 | 05:20 h
Hi Greg and Russell, thank you for your opinions.
Indeed, tithing is not required from the body of Christ in the new covenant. It is also indeed true that tithing should not bring fear for our God is not a God of fear. He will not take from our food money, leave our children starving while the money goes into tithing.
I would like us to take a look at tithing before the Law, during the Law and after the Law:
1. BEFORE the Law, tithing was voluntary. Abraham was the first mentioned in the Bible to tithe. He did it voluntarily and in recognition of King Melchizedek’s greatness.
2. DURING the Law, tithing was compulsory. This is under the Mosaic Law where tithing is mandatory. No one should escape from tithing his first fruits to God.
3. AFTER the Law, tithing was willingly. In the New Testament and covenant, we are under grace. It is not compulsory. It is not voluntarily. It should comes from a heart of gratitude so it comes from willingness. Tithing in the new covenant is just a starting point. It is also brought to a greater height and higher standard by Jesus. God doesn’t need our money. He just wants to sanctify our money obtained from this world through our tithing.
The parable of the widow mentioned by Jesus who gave her last two pence is not about God “stealing” from the poor to fill his Temple and feed the priests. He was talking about giving out willingly from the heart. It is about our attitudes towards God and money.
1 Timothy 5:8 is a great verse telling us to be responsible and to provide for our family. 1 Timothy 5 was written in the context of how we should treat church workers, widows and warning for those who idle their time and life away in sins.
I believe God gives us our wages of work (salary) more than enough to give, to meet our daily needs, and to pay for our bills and expenses. But we never find it enough because of our careless ways of living. Living beyond our means, hence resulting in debts. I don’t know about you but definitely 10% to tithing, 10% for saving, 80% for our living is definitely a good equation. It is simply what we do with the money given in our hands – maybe 30% for household, 20% for beers & pubs, 20% for credit cards (and let the interest rolls), 20% for shopping, 30% for holidays…opps..not enough, let’s dig into our credit cards or credit loans again.
Thank you once again for sharing. I sure hope that the body of Christ will come to appreciate why tithing is important (not mandatory) and the blessings it bring. Our upcoming article on the biblical blessing tithing brings will shed more light into God’s plan in our lives. Hope you will continue to tune in.
Shalom,
David
Greg
31. March 2008 | 15:30 h
Hello, After the law we see no command to tithe. Before the law we see no command tithe. I don’t have a problem with someone tithing. But I do on how it is taught.
To have faith in God we believe what is written and execute the command. Works = doing what we are told. Too many have willfully twisted scripture to rob the people of God. There is no command to tithe money or food in the New Testament. God will always be clear on what he wants from his people.
Dave Earley
31. March 2008 | 20:42 h
After the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, the Church (body) began to grow each day.
This is what they did: They brought ALL of their things, and combined everything, so that no one had any need! It would be great if such were the case today.
Excellent post David.
Tom Usher
1. April 2008 | 01:00 h
Hello All,
We are still under the law. The law is the New Commandment. Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law. He fulfilled it. He removed the hypocrisy. The standard has gone up, not disappeared. Let us be sure not to fall into antinomianism.
People fed Jesus and invited him into their homes. They served him even though he didn’t come for that but to serve. Everything that belonged to them, they were willing to share with him. That’s beautiful. That’s how it should be between and among all people and especially those calling themselves Christians. That’s what has been lost since the first generation of Christians.
God bless.
Tom Usher
Greg
1. April 2008 | 15:01 h
Tom Usher, Since your under the law have you been sacrificing animals for your sin?
Gal. 3
The Law Brings a Curse
10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”[e] 11But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”[f] 12Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”[g]
13Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”[h]), 14that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Russell Earl Kelly
1. April 2008 | 21:05 h
The law was a very strict child-tutor to keep the formner slaves of Israel safe until Messiah arrived (Galatians 3:19). It told Israel (not Gentiles) to kill their disobedient children, kill Sabbath breatkers and allowed Israel to own slaves (Exodus 21). It was like a schoolbus which kept Israel safe to and from school for 12 years. Not that Messiah arrived that schoolbus has not been destroyed but it sits in the yard as a reminder of where Israel had been.
Tithing funded the school system and the school bus. That Temple and that priesthooo has been replaced with the priesthood of every beleiver and the OT purpose of tithing is gone. It has been replaced by better NT giving principles of sacrificial giving motivated by love.
Abraham tithed only pagan spoils of war.
Abraham only tithed once.
Abraham gave the 90% to the king of Sodom.
Abrahamn lied about his wife twice.
I do not follow everything Abraham did as an example of his faith.
Tom Usher
3. April 2008 | 00:33 h
Hello Greg,
Sacrificing animals is not the law. It is not the New Commandment.
Do you not believe in the New Commandment of Jesus Christ? Do you not believe that it is the law? Do you believe that the two Great Commandments are not the law? Do you believe that they no longer apply? Do you not love God with your all? Are you no longer obligated to love your neighbor as yourself just because of what Paul wrote in a letter to the Galatians?
Do you believe that the context of Paul has done away with the Golden Rule, which is the law of God?
Where is your faith leading you if not to do the New Commandment given to you by your lord and savior?
The Golden Rule is the word (truth) spoke and exemplified by the Son of God in God’s name. How can you believe otherwise and be Christian? You can not. Follow Jesus.
God bless.
Tom Usher
Greg
3. April 2008 | 15:32 h
In your first posting it sounded like you were referring to the Mosaic Law. The theme of the New Testament is about a personal relationship with our creator. Obeying what Christ has said does not
create a list of do’s and don’ts from which punishment is dished out. I know your not promoting that but it sounds like your approaching Christ with a list. We are made rightous because of what he has done. Not through a law or list of rules to follow. Obviously we should obey what he has told us. If we fail we have an advocate, the sin already paid. I see no biblical basis for a New Law to follow as in ordinances to keep. God deals with us with the heart concerning what needs to be refined. We see many trying to resurrect The 10 Commandments as the answer to the worlds sin. This is a great error. I believe a thin line separates you and I on this discussion.
So to get back on topic, what is your view on tithing money?
Thank you.
Dave Earley
3. April 2008 | 22:55 h
Tts 3:9
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
Tom Usher
4. April 2008 | 05:15 h
Hello Greg and All,
Greg, I don’t understand why the New Commandment sounded like the Mosaic Law to you.
As for obeying what Christ told us to do and not to do, it certainly may be listed. The list won’t be exhaustive though for anyone who doesn’t understand the summation of the law that is the New Commandment. When Jesus said to the adulteress, go and sin no more, one may be sure that listed in the law is the prohibition against adultery. Surely you concede that. Do you want to start to list all the prohibitions and requirements Jesus discussed in terms people would accept as highly literal? The list would be extensive. He specified many things. The summation though covers it all, as violating even the least violates the greatest. That’s the point.
As for being made righteous by what Jesus did, everyone claiming Christianity has not been made righteous by what Jesus did. There are people who call themselves Christians who are deliberately engaging in what they know is wrong and doing so gleefully. We will be separated according to our works as Jesus said. Those who work iniquity rebelling against the divine law as stated and demonstrated by Jesus will be with the goats.
Having the law written on your heart means knowing right from wrong without the need for anyone lording it over you with a mundane legal code. It does not relieve one of the responsibility to follow the real law of God. In fact, the more one knows that law, the more one is obligated.
I don’t know how you see no biblical basis for the New Commandment as an ordinance of God to keep as a Christian. That makes no sense to me whatsoever. As for the Ten Commandments, they are assuredly Old Testament that were decidedly and hypocritically applied in mass ignorance. Jesus came to make that clear and plain, and he did. In doing so, he did not remove the law but rather raised the bar, infinitely.
As for tithing and the subject at hand, what I don’t let pass is that tithing isn’t required because there is no law and tithing is law. That argument is dead. If tithing isn’t required, it isn’t because there is no law. It is because tithing isn’t part of the law of God. The question here then is whether or not tithing is divine law. It is for this reason that what I wrote in my earlier comment was not off subject.
The answer is that tithing, per se, is not the divine law. What is the divine law though is giving and sharing. It means sharing the fruits of labor with all including those who spread the word in earnest. When Jesus traveled about preaching and healing, he was put up and fed by those of hospitality. He deserved that and more. They entered into his labor. That’s the real Christian spirit. We are to be one, united in love.
What is tithing? Most of us know it means giving a tenth. What did Jews give that we know of where Jesus commented. “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.” — Luke 19:8-9. So, what Zacchaeus did pleased Jesus. Then there is this. “And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” — Acts 4:36-37. Barnabas gave everything he had, just as the old woman when she gave all her living into the treasury. How much is enough? Do you want to be perfect? Jesus said to give it all and follow him.
Are we required to tithe to the Church? The Church is its people. If we are to be servants to the least as the least, surely we are to give our all over to the Church. Properly identifying the Church is required. Part of that is knowing what the people who make up the Church do further with what is given over. If they do as Jesus asked, all is right. If they deviate and have ulterior motives, it’s corrupt. It is not the real Church.
The prosperity preachers for example are fakes who preach a deviant message always stressing the question, what material possessions are in it for me. That is exactly the opposite of what Jesus preached. They have received their reward, as Jesus said. That information, as with all information from Jesus, is both profitable and useful, of course.
God bless.
Tom Usher
Matthew Payne
4. April 2008 | 16:55 h
I have to say I love Tom Ushers last post and I think it sums up nicely what I think is true also.
As for the old law and the New law of Christ, have you all considered this verse?
John 14:21 (New King James Version)
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
Jesus had fifty commandments. There where fifty things he said to do and not to do as a believer.
Who loves Jesus according to the verse above?
The person that knows the fifty commandments of Jesus and the person that keeps them.
And if they keep them, Jesus and God the Father will love them.
And Jesus will manifest himself to that person.
Jesus said if you want to be perfect, sell all that you have, take up your cross and follow him.
In Acts the people sold all thier land and property and bought it to the apostles feet.
Jesus said we should love the Father with ALL our heart mind and soul.
Surely 10% isn’t too much. I find sometimes I have 30% going to God some weeks.
All your heart should be at least the old ten percent and if you are not doing that, you are giving less then a Jew used to without the blessing of the Holy Spirit in their life.
Greg
4. April 2008 | 19:59 h
Hello, Tom when you said, “we are still under the law’ I thought you were referring to the Mosaic Law. I see that is not what you are saying.
Is there a Denomination you attend or are you independant of such?
Thanks!
Tom Usher
5. April 2008 | 05:55 h
Hello Greg,
It’s good that you understand that the New Commandment removes the hypocritical interpretation from the Old Testament Mosaic Law. Of course, this is no condemnation of Moses. Moses did the best he could with what he was given to understand. We must remember that what was going on then in the area known today as Palestine was often horrifying even when compared against the mass killing done by the followers of Moses. Moses was moved to rid the place of what he considered unspeakable evil. Jesus though showed us that killing is hypocritical (no calling down the wrath) even when applied to those who were doing the wicked deeds some were doing in and around Palestine (Canaan). Jesus came to further enlighten all the way to perfection.
As for a denomination, if you follow the link that is my name in this comment, you should arrive at the Real Liberal Christian Church site. I don’t create links in comments on David’s site here, because such comments go to spam and that just makes more work for David.
God bless,
Tom Usher
P.S. If you enter your website’s address when entering your comment, your name will be a link too. Perhaps you knew that or don’t have a site. I mention it for the benefit of the many.
Amore
8. April 2008 | 18:19 h
I love Tom and Matthew’s answers to tithing and the handling of giving to God. At the end of the day, it is our heart and our attitude that God is looking at. I always find the ten commandments useful although it no longer ties us down because of what Christ has came to fulfill. But the do’s and don’ts whether in the Old or New Testament always serve to guide me in my walk with God and living a living testimony to other pre-believers around. It serves me well and others know that I serve a God who is making me a decent person whom others trust and respect. In this fallen world, in which we are still living in until the return of Christ, nothing is perfect. Human nature still lives in sin. I sure wish the commandment on adultery applies in the heart of people today so the rate of divorce and broken families will drop. We may see less of old folks being abandoned on the streets by their unfilial children. Thefts may be reduced and walking the streets at night may be safe if there is no stealing, violence and murder. I believe “laws” are still needed to keep us in good orders until Christ returns again.
As for Russell’s comment on Abraham, I do not agree with him. The bible listed a lot of imperfect men who walked with God, fallen away in sin but the most beautiful part of all is their repentance in returning to God and setting right what was wrong. Abraham may have sin along his walk with God, do we not sin too, got back on our feet, fallen again, got on our feet and still persist on?! We are holding on to a God who is gracious and forgiving. Moreover, I do not think the great men of God, like Moses, Abraham, Jonah, and David took God’s grace and forgiveness for granted. They make mistake and they repent by doing what was right and not repeating the same mistake again.
1. “Abraham tithed only pagan spoils of war.”
The bible did not say that Abraham tithed only pagan spoils from the war. The Bible said he tithed a tenth of all he has – Genesis 14:20
2. “Abraham only tithed once.”
The bible mentioned only once about Abraham tithing but it does not necessary mean this is it. The point is not how many time he tithed but rather the purpose behind his tithing to Melchizedek. It is an acknowledgement of Melchizedek being a great king and also a priest of God – Genesis 14:18
3. “Abraham gave the 90% to the king of Sodom.”
Abraham did not give 90% to the king of Sodom. The king of Sodom asked for the people in exchange for the spoils from the war for Abraham. But look at Abraham’s response to the king in Genesis 14:21-23. He took nothing from the spoils and not because Abraham was already very rich. It is simply that he didn’t want the king and the people to think he was made rich by the king. Moreover, Abraham was not willing to exchange for the souls of the men under him with things of the world.
4. “Abraham lied about his wife twice.”
As I mentioned before, no men is perfect. God uses only those whose heart is for Him. Abraham’s heart is definitely for God. We follow what is right and throw out what is bad. But we do not condemn any man for his sins otherwise we make ourselves out to be God, judging men. Have you considered Abraham’s faith in God that he sacrified his only son, Isaac, to God when he was told to do so? In Hebrew, Abraham was deemed righteous before God because of his faith. His faith pleased God. I do not know about anyone but I sure would like God to be please with my faith like He did with Abraham.
Abraham was also given the promises of his descendants like the stars in the sky and like the sands on the beach. His descendants will receive the blessings that God has promised to him and his descendants. The bible tells us that we are the spiritual descendants of Abraham and what he received from God, we receive it, too. Do you not want to receive the blessings that Abraham has for all his descendants?
I like what David has written here about tithing, and the attitude of our hearts in bringing our first fruits to God. I like and agree with what Tom has said in explanation to Greg. I am a faithful tither and I have seen God’s hands move in my life as I tithe knowing that what I bring before God was His in the first place. Also, there is a debt that I cannot repay to God, and that is the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for my sins.
Sermon Alive
11. April 2008 | 10:44 h
I agree with you guys that we live to give.
Greg, do you keep follow my contents reg giving? I hope more clearer if you do.
God loves cheerful giver!
Shalom,
David
Darrell Meeks
14. February 2009 | 18:17 h
It is so rare for anyone to talk about our primary responsibility in giving. Most of what we hear is how allegedly important it is to turn one’s primary giving over to his institutionalized, religious church organization.
What goes mostly overlooked is our primary, biblical responsibility toward one another’s needs in the body of Christ, and the needs of the needy in our local, respective communities.
The OT tithe was used ONLY for the purpose of meeting needs, apart from the sacrifices. It was never used to support the temple structure’s upkeep. The OT tithe was never required of any wage-earner’s salary. Monetary income was never a titheable item.
NT giving once again exemplified the meeting of needs from believer’s primary giving, not the upkeep of luxuries such as so-called church buildings and their professional staffing and hirelings.
Modern and traditional teachings along this line have enjoyed the lime light for far too long, having become a centralized, idolic paradigm. It’s high time that believers wake up and read their Bibles for what’s actually written rather than blindly following after what’s regurgitated to them from pulpits, Sunday school teachings, TV, radio and written media….many of which spew the traditional falsehoods that have grown roots that are too deeply entrenched into the soils of our spiritual identities.
Should We Tithe? « Fast and Furious
5. June 2009 | 08:22 h
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